CORTLAND —The Jets could be missing two starters for the rest of the preseason.

Wide receiver Santonio Holmes and nose tackle Sione Po’uha may be out until the regular-season opener on Sept. 9 against the Bills because of back injuries.

Holmes has been out since the team’s intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 4 with injured ribs. But coach Rex Ryan said yesterday that Holmes also has tightness in his back. Holmes did not appear on the practice field yesterday, staying inside to get treatment.

Ryan was asked if Holmes will miss the rest of the preseason.

“Certainly it is possible,” Ryan said, “but I don’t think that will be the case.”

In an interview with ESPN 98.7, Ryan later said he hopes Holmes can return for the Aug. 26 game against the Panthers.

Holmes was not available to comment.

Po’uha has not practiced in two weeks because of a tight lower back. He said that he does not expect to be back until the regular season. He had an MRI exam on the back that showed no structural damage. Po’uha is doing stretching and working in the pool to help his back.

Po’uha said the injury occurred during defensive line drills. Unlike the Giants, he said it had nothing to do with his bed at SUNY-Cortland.

* This may be the toned-down version of Ryan, but that does not mean he has lost his confidence. Asked about where he thinks the Jets defense will rank this year, he stopped short of guaranteeing the top spot, but not by much.

“Am I confident in our defense? Absolutely, granted I said top-five, that’s a given,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s defenses have been ranked first, third and fifth in his three years as Jets head coach.

* Three years ago, OLB Calvin Pace called the Wildcat “nonsense” after a 31-27 Jets loss to the Dolphins that included a heavy dose of the formation.

Now that the Jets are counting on the formation helping them win games with Tim Tebow, would Pace like to reconsider?

“I guess I’m going to have to eat my words on that one,” he said. “That was a stupid comment by me. We got our butts kicked, man. At the end of the day it’s still the same running schemes, you just have to count the quarterback. You’ve got that one extra blocker. We’ve had our success with it with Brad Smith and I think we’ll have the same success with Tim.”

* WR Stephen Hill practiced a day after injuring his right ring finger. … Ryan ruled WR Chaz Schilens (ankle) out of Saturday’s game. … The team signed CB LeQuan Lewis.